SHOCKING VIDEO: Alleged Drug Dealer Appears To Weigh Marijuana On NYPD Squad Car
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An alleged drug dealer thumbed his nose at the NYPD, appearing to weigh his wares on the back of a marked patrol car.
The shocking scene was caught on camera at a playground in Brooklyn, and emerges a month before a new policy which would issue summonses instead of criminal charges to New Yorkers caught smoking marijuana takes effect.
So with the new policy on the horizon, could this become the new normal in the Big Apple?
"Of course not," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "That's someone who thought they were being cute or being cool and they're not. They're getting themselves into a lot of trouble for what they did."
With a scale on the trunk of a police car, the man seen in the video weighs what appears to be marijuana buds. The 3.6 grams of something leafy and green, sitting in plain sight on the back of a vehicle from the 83rd Precinct.
No officers were in sight, but kids can be heard playing behind them in the Bushwick playground. It's not clear if it was filmed as part of a prank or an actual drug transaction, but the fact that it happened with no interference of any kind has some sounding the alarm.
"That's daredevil stuff," said park visitor Talaune Hollie. "Where were the police?"
The NYPD says it's investigating the video. Police sources tell CBS2 no officers witnessed the alleged "joint" operation, but they do want to speak with the person on camera, who could face criminal charges for possession of marijuana.
De Blasio on Monday called the apparent dope deal "not acceptable"
"It's still illegal in the state," said de Blasio. "We're going to keep disciplining, keep providing those summonses and follow up with enforcement."
Park-goers hope the mayor isn't just blowing smoke. Some say the park's bathroom has become a hot box hot spot.
"I don't want to bother them because I don't want to get in trouble," said Nancy Chin. Instead, she says she opts to go to a different park.
Meanwhile, police sources say the man in the video would only be charged if he's found to possess marijuana if and when he's taken into custody.